News Focus
- Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund warns that VfB Stuttgart will be tough opponents in the DFB-Pokal final.
- Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor accepts his team are underdogs but vows to trouble the Bavarian giants.
- The two clubs met in Berlin on Monday for the official trophy handover ceremony ahead of Saturday’s clash.
- Stuttgart aim to defend the trophy they won last season, while Bayern seek to end their wait for cup success in the capital.
Officials from FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart travelled to Berlin on Monday for the traditional DFB-Pokal trophy presentation. The ceremony took place ahead of this weekend’s final at the Olympiastadion.
Christoph Freund, the sporting director for the Bavarian club, spoke about his team’s excitement. He noted that Bayern had not reached this stage of the competition for several years. “We have waited a long time to come back to Berlin. Now we are here, and we want to lift the trophy,” he stated.
Freund also showed respect for the opponents. He called Stuttgart the most difficult possible final opponents. He pointed out that they are the current cup holders and play excellent football. He added that they always perform well in big matches.
The Austrian executive shared a personal memory from a previous final. He once watched Bayern play Borussia Dortmund in Berlin as a fan. He described the experience as magical and said the atmosphere is much bigger than regular matches.
Stuttgart’s sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth attended the event with club captain Atakan Karazor. They accepted that most people expect Bayern to win. “Everyone knows the favourites on paper,” Wohlgemuth admitted. However, he insisted that Stuttgart still believe they can cause an upset. He hopes to repeat the joy of winning the trophy last year.
Karazor agreed that Bayern are the best team in Germany and among the elite clubs globally. The midfielder said his side will enter the match as underdogs. Despite this, he promised that Stuttgart will make life difficult for their opponents. He reminded everyone that his team has defeated Bayern in previous meetings.
The final will take place on Saturday evening at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.